Carcinogenesis happens according to several factors, such as age, diet, lifestyle, and genetic and environmental causes. Cancer is one of the leading diseases of death, and the causes of death of cancer patients are often due to metastasis of tumor cells. Hence, how to effectively control the tumor cells and suppress their metastases becomes a very important strategy for cancer therapy.
The processes of cancer cells metastasis include adhesion, invasion and migration. The cancer metastasis requires matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) to break down extracellular matrixes (ECM) and process epithelial-mesenchymal transitions (EMT). Meanwhile, related proteins for cancer cells metastasis will greatly express to promote the occurrence of cancer metastasis.
Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is a small-molecule protein (cytokine) secreted by macrophage. Therein, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is mainly secreted by monocyte-macrophage. Many previous studies indicate TNF-α promotes invasion and metastasis of cancer cells.
A. cinnamomea is a precious medicinal fungus indigenous to Taiwan. According to the previously studied, it has been proven that the methanol- and hot water-extracts of A. cinnamomea possessed excellent anti-inflammatory activity. Besides, many studies pointed out that the mycelium and fruiting body of A. cinnamomea presented the potent anti-cancer activity. However, the mechanism and activity of A. cinnamomea extracts and/or benzoic compounds, which involved in cancer metastasis, are still unclear.
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